Griffith Park was the most popular film location again in 2012

Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

Griffith Park, Point Dume, the 6th Street Bridge near downtown L.A. and a former community hospital in Boyle Heights reputed to be haunted ranked among the most popular film locations in 2012, according to a new survey.

Eight of the top 10 sites for shoots of movies, TV shows, commercials and music videos on city and county streets are publicly owned, the annual survey conducted for the Los Angeles Times by FilmL.A. Inc. found.

"We continue to see a considerable amount of filming that happens on government-owned properties or facilities, from beaches and parks, to public schools and libraries," said Phil Sokoloski, spokesman for FilmL.A., which handles film permits. "The list underscores the importance of having a good working relationship between the film industry and local government authorities."

Griffith Park was again the busiest site for location filming last year. The most popular canyon area, known as the Bird Sanctuary, generated 409 production days — 63 more than in 2011 — including shoots for the TV crime dramas "Southland" and "Sons of Anarchy." (One production day is defined as a crew's permission to film at a single location in a 24-hour period.)

Spanning more than 4,210 acres between the hills of Los Feliz and Burbank, the city-owned park has been a perennial favorite for location scouts because of its cedar grove, mountain roads and iconic observatory, famously portrayed in the James Dean classic "Rebel Without a Cause."